Embarking on a Pilgrimage
by Mireille Bouquet Fan
Summary: Mireille's acceptance of Kirika's offer to make a 'pilgrimage for the past'.
1. Chapter 1

_Noir_ is owned by Ryoe Tsukimura, Bee Train Entertainment and Victor Entertainment. To the best of my knowledge, the English language version is owned by AEsir Holdings, LLC.

* * *

Embarking on a Pilgrimage

A _Noir_ story

* * *

"Please lend me your help, Mireille. I need your help to find out what I am. I need your help until... until... I find that answer."

Mireille Bouquet stopped as she passed the girl seated at the table on her way to the door, her eyes closed in thought as she considered her position. She knew what it was like to want answers to an unanswered question. One such question had been plaguing her for ten years. Ten years without an answer to the question that had arisen from the event that changed her life forever. So from that perspective, she understood Kirika Yuumura's situation.

Mireille opened her eyes. But why her, of all people? Out of the blue, this girl had emailed her with an odd request, which led to her coming all the way to Japan to meet her. Apparently, as was stated rather cryptically in that first email, she wanted Mireille to help her find out about her past.

It was ludicrous. As she'd more or less just stated, she wasn't in the business of helping people. Yes, she was trustworthy – she kept her clients' confidence – but she worked alone. No partner to get in her way or give her away.

Her motivation in coming to Japan to meet this girl was curiosity, and the prospect of finding answers for herself, not a desire to embark on a 'pilgrimage for the past' or to help her. She would have ignored the email proposing a 'pilgrimage' altogether, had that email not included the chime from that old pocketwatch. Her father's old pocketwatch.

The promise of a lead, a clue that could help solve that ten year old mystery, was too tempting to pass up, and she suspected Kirika knew it. How else would she know that the watch would bring her here, if she didn't know about her family? For that matter, how did she get it?

* * *

Before leaving to meet Kirika, she emailed a contact in Japan, asking him to check the girl's official records. Mireille researched her assignments, and this would be no different.

He told her that the Yuumura family moved into their current residence about six months ago, but within three months both parents left for America, leaving their daughter behind to finish school. As a result, she currently lived alone.

He also told her that he strongly suspected that her records as held by the school and various government departments were forgeries. Her parents were never heard from once they left for America – an attempt to find their address online yielded nothing. The company they worked for never existed. Their bank accounts were emptied and closed as soon as they 'left' Japan. It was entirely possible, therefore, that the name Kirika Yuumura was, in fact, an alias. So, she really had little idea who this person was until she actually met her.

And then Mireille found out that Kirika was good – _very_ good – at killing, and that she had no memory of her past, hence the 'pilgrimage' she was proposing. Kirika knew or suspected that her past life was a lie, and she wanted to find out about herself, but still, again, Mireille found herself coming back to those three questions: why did she single out her to ask for help, how did Kirika know that the pocketwatch would bring her here, and how did she get the pocketwatch in the first place?

* * *

There was another possibility, Mireille thought, as she stood there. It was all an act, in which case, Kirika was trying to get close to her for whatever reason, and had dangled the watch in her face as bait, knowing that it would bring her out. How much did she _really_ know?

Then again... perhaps she shouldn't be so quick to come to conclusions. It was possible that Kirika was, in fact, telling the truth. Her expressions, her voice, seemed genuine enough.

Which brought her back to where she was now – in either case, she would have to investigate further, if only to find out how she got her hands on that pocketwatch, but that left open the question of whether or not she would agree to help her. Here she was, in another country with a girl whose real name she didn't know, whose documented history was a forgery, who had a pocketwatch identical to her father's, who claimed to have no memories that went back more than a few months, who apparently had hitmen after her, and who was an alarmingly proficient killer, asking her for help to find out the truth about her past? Allowing this girl into her confidence was unacceptable. She was simply too dangerous.

And yet...

Mireille looked down at Kirika, who was still seated at the table. She looked up at her, her large brown eyes pleading. Puppy-dog eyes.

As dangerous as Kirika was, this was the best lead she had had in ten years. It was a long shot, but she had to take it if she was to find out what happened to her family. And if Kirika could benefit as well, then maybe it would be worth it for both of them. If she was trustworthy, she might even make a good partner; she was clearly a capable killer.

Still, the road ahead – should she take that road – was long and fraught with danger. Starting with Kirika, Mireille reminded herself. Then again, if Kirika's goal was simply to kill her, she would have done it by now. That was her only reassurance, that she wasn't already dead and Kirika wanted something else. Hopefully if that was the case and Kirika wanted something else, her pursuit of that goal would buy Mireille enough time to find out what else Kirika knew.

So, this was it, the big decision. One of the biggest, riskiest decisions she would ever make. It was a gamble, and the stakes were high: if things went her way, she could get closer than ever to finding out what happened to her family, but if things were to go bad...

Mireille sighed. She hoped that she wouldn't regret this.

She sat down at the table, next to Kirika. The odds were against them – Kirika had to know that – but she wanted to hear her say it anyway. "You know that we have no leads? And that this will take a very long time?"

Kirika nodded.

"There are people after our blood, you know. We may not live long enough to find our answers."

Kirika nodded again.

"There's no guarantees that we'll find anything at all."

Kirika nodded a third time.

Mireille nodded in reply. _This is it. No turning back now._ "I suppose... someone with your skills could be useful, as well." She paused for a second, then nodded. "All right, you can come with me. We'll go back to my apartment in Paris."

Kirika's face seemed almost to light up. Her eyes widened and a smile formed at the corners of her mouth, which opened slightly. She was clearly happy with Mireille's response.

Mireille wouldn't deny that she had partially acted out of pity for Kirika. However, she decided she needed to assert herself before they went any further. "But let me make this very clear: we play by my rules. If you step out of line, I will kill you without a second thought. Got it?"

Kirika's smile faded, replaced by shock, her mouth slightly hanging open with mild surprise. The shock on her face promptly gave way to what looked like neutrality, with a hint of determination showed by slightly narrowed eyes. She closed her mouth and nodded a fourth time.

Mireille nodded, still looking evenly at Kirika. _Don't make me regret this. _"Ok, then. You'd better start making arrangements to leave Japan. I'll get some papers together for you when I get back to the hotel."

Kirika nodded a fifth time. "All right."

* * *

From the author: One can only wonder what happened to make Mireille change her mind, or what she was thinking to make her accept Kirika after her initial resistance to her proposal to go on a 'pilgrimage for the past'. I've tried to write Mireille as being sceptical, with a hint of paranoia/suspicion/cynicism.

Kirika's change in expression, her face 'lighting up' with happiness at Mireille's acceptance, could potentially be interpreted as being out of character, as she outwardly or directly expresses her thoughts or emotions through varied tone or expression on far fewer occasions than Mireille throughout the series, and she seldom smiles. It isn't meant to be out of character: she gambled by asking (on what was probably, to Kirika, a compulsion or a hunch) Mireille, a complete stranger who was dangerous and rightfully suspicious and hesitant, to embark on a 'pilgrimage' with her, and the gamble has just paid off, so it would be natural for her to feel and express relief and joy at the prospect of having a partner (especially since she considered herself to be 'alone' prior to meeting Mireille) and hopefully finding some answers after months of not knowing who she is.

I'm guessing that several days, possibly even a couple of weeks, would have gone by between that first night at Kirika's apartment and her eventual departure from Japan – this time would have been for Mireille to arrange Kirika's flight and to arrange some false documents for her.

Thanks for reading. Please leave reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for your feedback and reviews. Originally, I planned to write _Embarking on a Pilgrimage_ as a one-shot to fill in a blank in _Noir,_ sort of like a 'deleted scene', but your responses have encouraged me to try my hand at a second chapter.

This is a direct continuation of the first chapter's conversation.

_

* * *

_

_So, she did it, _Mireille thought, as she looked over at Kirika evenly. She and Kirika would now be working together to achieve their seemingly interlinked goals. She now had a partner – a dangerous, enigmatic partner.

She was already thinking of how she would fit Kirika in. She had to buy a second plane ticket and order some French papers for her: a medical record, immigration papers, school records. She wondered if Kirika had any medical conditions that should appear on a record if she needed emergency treatment.

Did she speak French? She spoke English fluently, and her emails indicated competence with written English. Both of those were good – English to French would not be as great a leap as Japanese to French. She would have to teach her French or buy some books.

Would she introduce her to her various contacts and associates? Claude had introduced her to a network of people with access to information and resources which could be useful in carrying out assignments.

She would need to take her around Paris to familiarise her with the city, as well as show her landmarks that could serve as meeting places or rendezvous points. That could take days.

She didn't have a couch or a second bed – one of them would end up sleeping on the floor. She would have to buy a sleeping bag. Then again, she had a double-sized bed... but would she risk sleeping in the same bed as her?

Something just occurred to her. "Hey... do you have a passport?" Mireille asked.

Kirika shook her head.

"Right... I'll have to get you a passport to leave Japan. You'll get a new one in Paris."

Kirika nodded.

Not for the first time, Mireille thought to herself, _she sure doesn't talk much. _It was part of what made her hard to read. She didn't say much and wasn't very expressive. She expressed surprise, and there was that little smile she just gave, and that was pretty much it, so far.

Ok, that was another thing to do – get in touch with her Japanese contact and arrange a false passport for Kirika.

She realised would need a photo for the passport. "I'm going to need a passport photo. Unless you have a spare lying around here...?"

Kirika shook her head. "I don't have one."

"Right. We'll get some photos after school tomorrow. I'll meet up with you at your school and we'll get the photos so I can get you that passport."

"All right." Kirika nodded.

So, she had established herself as being in charge. Now... Mireille decided to make her position with regard to Kirika clear. She didn't like Kirika – she was a threat to her safety and security, and unlike other people she knew, Kirika couldn't be trusted. The way she had entered her life was intrusive and unwelcome, even if there was a potential benefit to be had.

This relationship was one of convenience. Yes, Mireille felt sorry for her, and she saw a reflection of herself in Kirika's search for answers, but she couldn't let sentimentality get in the way of her sense of caution. Being cautious kept her alive.

It was time to see just how far Kirika was willing to go.

She glanced down at the Beretta, still lying on the table where she had left it. Kirika had not attempted to recover her weapon.

Mireille lowered her voice. "You know what it is that I do for a living, and you know that means I can't let you live."

Kirika nodded. "Yes."

_She was ok with that? Or was she just playing along?_

"All right. I'll team up with you." Mireille pushed herself back slightly, away from the table. "I'd better get back to the hotel, now. It's best that we stay separated for now."

Kirika nodded.

Mireille stood up from the table once again and looked down at Kirika. "This won't be easy. They're sure to come after us again."

She exhaled, now thinking aloud as much as she was talking to Kirika. "We'll have to be ready for them. They could come for us any time. And when they do, there's something I want to ask them."

Mireille nodded at Kirika. "I'm sure you have questions, too. Hopefully, we'll get our answers."

For her part, Kirika looked up at her intently, not saying a word. She gave a slight nod.

Mireille bent slightly at the waist, leaning ever so slightly closer to Kirika. "Once that's over, I will kill you."

Kirika nodded. "I'll be waiting for that moment."

Mireille was bemused – inwardly, she frowned to herself – but she hid her confusion behind a cool, calm mask as she straightened herself. She certainly wasn't expecting this sort of... passivity.

It was a final test, to see if she would fold. After all, who entered into a business relationship knowing that the other party would kill them? You wouldn't expect your business partner-to-be to respond well to such a threat. She had expected anger, defiance, sarcasm, or incredulity. Some might have even laughed it off, asking if Mireille was serious. The reply would be negative, irrespective of the actual words used.

She had not expected this.

The main issue was her delivery – _how _she said it, not _what _she said. Kirika said it calmly, matter-of-factly, without malice or anger, and without a challenging or defiant tone – she didn't see the prospect of her death as a challenge to be met, it seemed. Nor was her tone that of someone who was resigned to her fate, or tired, or defeated.

Her response was therefore not an angry or defiant one, but rather one that seemed to be accepting the inevitable in a manner that wasn't overly defeatist. Kirika had basically said she was ok with that.

Kirika Yuumura had called her bluff.

* * *

Back at the hotel, Mireille allowed herself to fall backwards onto the bed, letting out a loud sigh as her back contacted the bed. She bounced ever so slightly as the springs in the mattress rebounded in response to her weight.

She looked up at the ceiling. Just what had she gotten herself into? She felt regret, with more than a hint of fear. Not for the first time, she thought she was making a mistake. A big mistake. Letting such a dangerous stranger into her life...

_I have to do this,_ she reminded herself. _This is my best lead yet. I have to find out what happened. Besides, if she simply wanted me dead, she would have tried to kill me by now._

She now had a partner – a dangerous, enigmatic partner. One who said she would be waiting for Mireille to kill her.

Mireille Bouquet suspected the coming weeks would be interesting, indeed.

* * *

From the author: The way the dialogue from the end of episode 1 was presented seemed like a mutual recollection of a conversation that had taken place previously. I've decided to expand on that conversation slightly.

In addition to her scepticism and suspicion, I've tried to write Mireille as viewing things with a cool, calm 'detachment', as opposed to any significant emotional involvement or 'investment'.

I'm assuming that Mireille has contacts in other countries who can arrange documentation for her if need be.

RubberBandMan – Kirika's smile was really meant to be a subtle one ("a smile formed at the corners of her mouth"), not a broad or wide ear-to-ear smile. This probably wasn't made very clear by my description. Also, thanks for the pointers on timing – I'm writing under the assumption that forged passports and other documents can take days to have made. I added to that a few days for the plane ticket, and so I got 'several days'.

I'm assuming Kirika doesn't already have a passport because if she did, she would be seen to be treating it with the same 'reverence' as her student ID card.

Thanks for reading – please leave comments/reviews/feedback!


	3. Chapter 3

Calls were made and emails were sent. Transactions were made, money changed hands, and paperwork was set in motion.

Once Mireille had Kirika's passport, she booked a flight for both of them back to Paris online.

* * *

Standing by the window in her hotel room, Mireille looked out at the city. It was mid-afternoon; the sun was starting to set, leaving harsh yellow-orange reflections of its light on the glass surfaces of various buildings in the Tokyo cityscape. Below, the crowds milled about, doing whatever it was they were doing, going wherever it was they were going.

She looked down at the piece of paper in her hand. Printed on it was a booking slip for a flight to Paris. The printout indicated the purchase of two tickets.

So, she had bought tickets. This was definitely happening, then. Somehow, this confirmation that she was taking Kirika back with her made the whole thing seem more real.

Mireille set the printout down on the table and dialled Kirika's house on her mobile phone.

After three rings, someone picked up. "Hello?" asked that soft, almost whispering voice.

"Kirika? It's me."

"Mireille?"

"Yes. So, they still haven't come back since...?"

"No."

"Good. I've made the arrangements to leave the country. I have the booking slip for our plane tickets."

"Thank you."

"The plane leaves on Thursday at eleven o'clock at night, so I'll come over Thursday afternoon to pick you up at around five, maybe a bit before. Make sure you're ready."

"All right."

"See you then. Bye."

"Bye."

Mireille terminated the call. Once again, she hoped she wasn't making a mistake.

* * *

Four days later, Mireille found herself outside the Yuumura residence once again. She had checked out of the hotel, and her bag was packed. After a brief wait, Kirika opened the door.

"I'm ready," Kirika said after greeting Mireille and letting her in.

Mireille looked down at the three bags of Kirika's belongings, lying on the floor by the low-set table. "This is everything?"

Kirika nodded. "Yes."

Mireille frowned at the bags. They weren't even that big; the two smallest bags' worth of clothing – assuming it was clothing – were probably only just too much to fit in her own large travel bag. It seemed Kirika wasn't taking much with her.

"This is everything?"

Kirika nodded. "Mm-hmm."

That was another thing to work out – where to put Kirika's stuff once they got back.

Absently, Mireille looked around the room. It had been a week since that first meeting, and now, it seemed, things were really happening. Kirika was leaving Japan, and who knew when she would come back?

However, all the fittings and decorations were still in place. The computer, the TV, the refrigerator – all would, it seemed, stay as it was. Then again, she hadn't been to Kirika's room; for all she knew, she had stripped it bare of paraphernalia.

She glanced up at the picture of Kirika with her 'parents', tacked just below the ceiling. It remained in place. Kirika obviously wouldn't be taking it with her; she would have packed it if she intended to take it.

Turning back to face Kirika, she idly wondered where the pocketwatch was. Did she have it on her? Was it packed? Was she even bringing it?

"Are you bringing... it?"

Kirika looked at her, confused. Realisation dawning, she nodded and drew a small silvery object from the smallest travel bag.

"You mean this?" She held the pocketwatch up for her to see.

Mireille nodded. She had seen enough. "Alright."

Kirika nodded and returned the watch to the bag.

* * *

Before leaving Japan, Kirika had made one final request. It seemed rather odd, but Mireille didn't blame her for getting sentimental. Who knew when she would come back to Japan?

Mireille parked the hire car on the street, and they stepped out.

Getting into the school was not a problem. Nor was navigating their way around; Kirika knew where they had to go.

The windows set into the hallways let in light from the stars and from nearby buildings, and, for the east-facing windows, from the rising moon. It was just enough light to see by, but nonetheless, Mireille had a small LED flashlight at the ready.

They walked through these dimly lit hallways until they came to a classroom. The sign by the door read '2-4'. Mireille assumed it was Kirika's homeroom.

Inside, it was like so many other classrooms around the world: desks lined neatly in rows, all of them facing a large blackboard. A large set of windows took up much of the wall opposite the door. Like the other rooms, it was dark, lit only by light from the cityscape and the stars.

Mireille stood silently by the door, leaning against a wall, as Kirika sat at a desk by the window, looking out at the cityscape. On the desk behind her was one of her travel bags, the one with the pocketwatch in it.

She suspected Kirika was taking it in, trying to soak up as much detail as possible before leaving this place behind.

After a few minutes, Mireille asked, "So, are you about finished?" They had to get moving; she didn't want to arrive too late at the airport.

Kirika nodded. "Mm-hmm."

_Of all the places Kirika could come to in order to reminisce before leaving, why the school? Why not a lookout or a famous landmark?_ It seemed almost... funny. "I just don't understand it. Why would you want to say goodbye in a place like this?"

Kirika nodded again. "Mm-hmm."

Mireille frowned slightly. That wasn't a yes or no question. It seemed like she just acknowledged that she had spoken, without replying.

Mireille stopped. Maybe she had been a bit hard on her. She was, after all, leaving her home country. For the past few months, possibly longer, Japan had been her home, and this had been her school. She would have spent a lot of time in this school, and she probably had friends here.

Even though she wanted to go, it couldn't be easy for her. In France, she would have no relatives, no friends. There would be nothing and no one familiar. Mireille had some experience in that regard.

She couldn't remember where she had read or heard it, but it seemed appropriate. "Even when I was in a crowd, I was always alone."

Kirika looked up and over at her. The phrase clearly got her attention.

Mireille gave a faint smile. "I'm afraid that's not mine. It's... Ernest Hemingway, I believe." _Credit where it's due._

Kirika gave a nod. She took one last, longing look out the window, then turned back to face Mireille. She stood up from the desk, grabbing the travel bag behind her.

"I'm ready to go now, Mireille."

* * *

The car was returned to the hire agency at the airport. They checked in and sent their luggage for processing and sorting on its way to the plane.

As they made their way through the airport, Mireille looked over at Kirika on several occasions. Every time, she had the same neutral, expressionless look on her face. If there was any last-minute regret or sorrow on leaving Japan on her part, she wasn't showing it. Who knew what she was thinking?

* * *

The plane pulled away from the terminal, the engines whining in the background. _This is it, _Mireille thought to herself._ No turning back. I'm taking her with me. _Once again, she thought, _I hope I'm doing the right thing._

The plane was leaving the terminal with both of them on it. She could have backed out at any point until now, sent Kirika on her way back home and continued on the plane by herself. _Yep, this is it._

Somehow, it seemed even more real and immediate now, more so than when she had obtained Kirika's passport, or when she printed out the booking slip for the plane tickets, or when they had arrived at the airport together.

For her part, Kirika looked intently out the window, not saying a word.

Finally, the plane finished taxiing, leaving the taxiway and manoeuvring into position for takeoff at the end of the runway. Mireille looked over at Kirika. She was still looking out the window.

Mireille was pressed into her seat as the plane started to accelerate down the runway.

* * *

It was mid-morning when they arrived in Paris fifteen hours later.

Outside the airport, Mireille managed to hail a taxi to take them into the city. Their bags were loaded and they both took the back seat.

As they were driven through Paris, Kirika's attention seemed to be almost wholly occupied by the scenery. In her reflection in the window, Mireille could see that even though she seemed to be looking intently out the window, her expression remained unchanged.

_Paris must look so different to Tokyo,_ Mireille thought, as she watched her silently. _It'll take some getting used to._

* * *

Finally, they were home.

Mireille watched as Kirika, the dangerous, enigmatic partner, surveyed her new home. Kirika walked around the apartment slowly, almost as if inspecting it. She only stopped to look at various items, such as her scooter or the print on the wall.

She was more than a little nervous – now this dangerous stranger was actually here, in her home. Even though she had had a week to get used to the idea, having her actually here was still kind of... unsettling.

She wondered what it must look like to her – certainly, the pool table must look like an oddity. All the while, Kirika remained silent, with no changes in her expression to indicate surprise or distaste with regard to anything she saw.

"I've only got one bed – looks like one of us will have to sleep on the floor," Mireille said as Kirika walked back down to the main living area from the 'bedroom'.

"That's ok," Kirika replied, blinking. "I can sleep on the floor."

"Ok," Mireille replied. "I'll break out the spare blankets. I'll get you a sleeping bag later."

Kirika nodded as she yawned, holding a hand to her mouth.

"Tired?" Mireille asked.

Kirika nodded.

It was something Mireille had noticed – long journeys tended to be surprisingly tiring, even though you didn't really _do_ anything that could tire you out while on the plane.

Looking over at her, Mireille thought that, in spite of her misgivings about her, it just wasn't right to make Kirika sleep on the floor right now. "Well... if you want, you can sleep on the bed right now."

Kirika nodded again. "Thank you."

* * *

From the author: While _Embarking on a Pilgrimage_ could easily have been finished with the previous chapter, for some reason, it seemed right to end with a third chapter; however, I would consider this chapter the hardest of the three to write, because I didn't have anything in particular in mind for chapter 3 to begin with (I knew more or less what I wanted for chapter 1, and chapter 2 was a direct continuation, with unused ideas that I hadn't incorporated into chapter 1), so I would like to say thank you to my readers for your ideas, feedback and suggestions. Also, for this chapter, I had to work out in my head the details and technicalities of Kirika's departure from Japan – what someone would do when moving to another country – even if some of that detail didn't end up in the finished product.

Admittedly, as a viewer, I was never comfortable with the idea of Mireille saying upfront that she would kill Kirika once they found what they sought, and that Kirika seemingly accepted this without protest. The idea of this threat being a bluff was my way of approaching this issue, while doing so in a manner that was faithful (i.e., not contradictory) to the established material, although I wrote it as hopefully being ambiguous enough that it can be interpreted as a literal threat with intent if the reader so chooses, since colloquially, 'calling a bluff' is a challenge to back up a claim.

Throughout the piece, I have tried to emphasise Mireille's hesitation/doubt/uncertainty with regard to taking Kirika in – after all, she barely knows her, save for the fact that she has some sort of link to her own past, and that she's very dangerous for several reasons, and she's taking this dangerous, enigmatic person in to live with her.

Four days from booking a flight online to leaving Japan. That may strike some as a long time, and for someone in a hurry, it probably is, but I wanted to be somewhat realistic with regard to air travel; it's almost a cliché that international flights are available _instantly_ for characters in fiction.

Once again, thank you for reading! Please leave your feedback.


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